Editorial: Pay it forward

Saturday

Jun 22, 2019 at 8:00 AMJun 23, 2019 at 2:33 AM

Have you scrolled through your Facebook newsfeed lately?

It's bound to be filled with numerous examples of the following: angry Americans — of all ages and leanings — exercising their right to political discourse, proud new parents (or grandparents) showing off adorable photos and videos of babies, friends boasting about vacations...

Whether it's a reaction to what is going on in the world— or a small slice of idyllic life at home, served up to soothe the soul, inspire nostalgia or even one-up someone you knew 10 years ago— you're likely going to find a lot of happy and angry moments shared by many.

Occasionally, you'll see a post or two about a random act of kindness, witnessed by a passerby or family member. And those posts tend to "blow-up" or go "viral."

Sometimes, these posts prove less than authentic, but occasionally— the posts show a side to humanity that all of us are capable of. We are all capable of compassion and goodness, no matter where we are in life.

Information provided by RandomActsofKindness.org provides some heart-warming facts about the science of being kind. Backed by numerous studies and reports done by various groups, including the University of British Columbia and Emory University, committing acts of kindness has numerous health benefits. Engaging in such acts is proven to produce endorphins, lower blood pressure and stimulate serotonin.

Witnessing such acts is said to produce oxytocin— that "love hormone" that gives you the warm fuzzy feeling— an essential part of bonding with family and loved ones, and building up your own self-esteem.

It's easy to forget that there is goodness in the world, especially when our social media feeds are being bombarded with so much negativity.

So what qualifies as a "random act of kindness?" Well for one— intention is a huge part. Are you being kind to someone because you want to go viral online? Are you doing it because it's the right thing to do? Do you give it a passing thought at all?

A random act can be as simple as holding the door open for the next person, whether you're grabbing your morning coffee, heading to services at your local house of worship or anywhere else, really.

It can be as big as delivering a plate of food to your new neighbors, volunteering at a local soup kitchen or paying off a child's lunch debt. But it's really not about that.

Maybe a random act of kindness is just that— random. An occasional act that makes someone else's life easier, and might inspire them to do the same for someone else.

One story in particular that warms the heart comes from one of our night staffers here at the Pocono Record. Some time ago, she witnessed her landlady pay for a car full of students' meals at the East Stroudsburg Burger King drive-thru. The staffer decided to pay it forward by paying for the vehicle behind her at the Main Street Dunkin' (formerly known as Dunkin' Donuts) drive-thru the next day.

When she returned for her daily breakfast the next afternoon, an employee told her that the action inspired the next six drivers — all strangers to each other — to repeat the anonymous act of kindness.

Sure, it may seem small, but even a burger or a bagel can brighten someone's day.

Share your stories with us

Share any random act of kindness you've witnessed with us by e-mailing a letter to the editor to letters@poconorecord.com. Please write no more than 300 words when sharing your story, and please wait a month before your next submission. Let's keep the focus on local stories, and try to keep politics out of it (political letters should continue to be submitted separately, and limited to 150 words.) All letters are subject to a final edit and are always published on our Opinion page with the writer's name. Letters must include address and telephone number for verification.

— The Pocono Record

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